Shattered Realities
by The White Wanderer
Summary: After his sacrifice, Spike is granted a new life in a new reality. But that means everything changes. Here he's human the first male slayer, Buffy is worse than the original and he's fallen for the most unlikely person Willow. Discontinued
1. The First Joy’s Choice

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer minus any original characters that may appear within this story. I congratulate all those who worked on this exception show for having given so many people the ability to dream like this.

This is my fifteenth fic! Yeah for me and my bad that I have far too many going at once, so if I'm slow at getting new chapters updated, sorry. Please enjoy!

* * *

**_Shattered Realities by DarkLegacies_**

**Chapter One – The First Joy's Choice**

"Everybody out, now!"

The world was shaking all around them as the girls ran for their lives, only just making it up the stone steps the lead into the Hellmouth and back into the school's basement. Spike stood in the pillar of sunlight that had been created by the amulet around his neck. He could fell the pure light slowly incinerating him from the inside out, but what completely amazed to fell that something was blocking the full extent of the pain that washing over him.

Buffy reached Spike's side in a matter of seconds, not bothering to go with the rest of the girl out of the Hellmouth – she needed to be with Spike.

" I can feel it, Buffy" he whispered in awe, only half looking at her through the blinding light that surrounded him.

"What?"

"My soul. It's really there. Kind of stings"

The world was starting to fall apart now, yet there the two lovers stood while their friends and allies fought for their lives in the crumbling building. Suddenly Spike remembered the intensity and had to order his love to leave.

"Go on, then"

"No" Buffy cried. "No, you've done enough. You could still – "

"No, you've beat them back. It's for me to do the cleanup"

The walls are crumbling around them harshly and now only Faith remained of all the other slayers on the steps of the Hellmouth, waiting for Buffy.

"Buffy, come on!"

Unable to wait for he fellow slayer, Faith turned and bolted up the steps, leaving Buffy and Spike for a last few moments together.

"Gotta move, lamb. I think it's fair to say school's out for bloody summer"

"Spike!" she cried, her eyes not wanting to leave his.

"I mean it! I gotta do this"

He held out a hand to stop her and was shocked when Buffy laced her fingers through his, and the simple act would have stopped his heart if it still beat. Then the joined hands burst into flame – it was almost romantic and the most touching thing he had ever felt in all his life.

Buffy looked up into his eyes and with those hazel depths, he saw a love for him that he had never seen before.

"I love you" she whispered, her voice threatening to brake.

With those words his world was complete. She had finally said those three little words he had always longed to her from her. She loved him and it broke his heart just to know that he was going to die.

"No, you don't" he smiled weakly. "But thanks for saying it"

Suddenly another earthquake tore through the crumbling Hellmouth and Buffy lets go of his hand in shock, fighting to regain her balance.

"Now go!" he yelled and Buffy turned and ran up the stairs, not looking back.

"I wanna see how it ends"

Spike stood and let the burning sunlight fully engulf him, and laughed aloud as the light finally started to work its disastrous effects upon him. The crumbling Hellmouth was lit with the light shining down on him from above as he slowly turned to dust. The fire, falling stones and immense light were his final farewell as he left the world, sealing up the Hellmouth with him once and for all.

* * *

"That one deserves a reward" 

"Yes, such a great sacrifice on his behalf – to all of us"

The Powers that Be stood together; gathered as the watched the events that happened on the world below. Beside them also stood their mother, the First Joy, smiling sadly yet happily at how the war was won.

"Yes, that vampire was a hero. My dear dark twin never should have come against the Slayer and all those she loved. The darkness that was within all challenged the goodness and lost, as it always has. William was always special, even when he was without a soul – an anomaly"

"How shall we reward him mother?" one of her children asked.

"He a destiny elsewhere. Another reality is in need of him. It cannot survive unless we intervene and change the rules a little"

"What will we need to change?"

"A lot I do believe my children. This choice will change a world, whither it be for better or for worse" the First Joy sighed.

"Where do we send him?"

"Well… it shall be to one very fateful day when a slayer is born"

* * *

_Sunlight, burning, dust… Buffy?_

"Bloody hell!"

Spike sat bolt upright in bed, cold sweat pouring down his face. There was no burning, no pain… had it all just been a dream? He was left numb and shivering, alone in the dark without any answer to what he had just experienced.

As his eyes began to adjust to the darkness around him, Spike suddenly realized that he wasn't sitting on his familiar cot in the Summers' basement, but rather on a very comfortable four poster bed in some unknown room. Struggling to his feet, Spike stumbled along while feeling along the wall for a light switch. What he found when the light went on, however, was not what he had expected. Cloths and papers were strewn haphazardly across the floor while upon the wall bore posters of all his favorite band such as the Sex Pistols. It looked to him like some normal modern British teenage boy's bedroom. Where was he?

But when he turned around, his heart stopped – literately. Reflecting back at him in a full-length mirror was a young man. He had thick curly brown hair; shockingly cerulean eyes and sculpture like high cheekbones. It was himself and he was human.

Heart pounding from shock and absolute disbelief, Spike didn't hear the bedroom door open behind him.

"William dear, are you alright?"

Turning, he met a face that he hadn't seen in over a hundred and twenty nine years.

"Mother?"

* * *

Hey! So how was it!? I hope I did good. Anyway, please review. Later! 


	2. Reunion

**Chapter Two – Reunion**

"Mother?"

Spike felt like he had just had the wind knocked out of him. His mother… the same woman that he had sired and staked so many years ago. She looked the same down to almost ever detail if you excluded the clothing. His mother…

"William what happened. You gave me quite a fright"

"I… I'm dreadfully sorry mother, I didn't mean to wake you… it was just a… a nightmare" he stuttered, grasping at the appropriate words to say.

"Oh my dear, dear boy" she soothed and moved over to pull him into her embrace. "Those horrible nightmares again?"

Spike couldn't help but melt as she held him, and part of his heart felt like it had already begun to heal. Being in his mother's arms again just seemed to make everything all right. He was in a dream that he hopped didn't end soon. His mother was alive, albeit not as well as he would have liked. She was still as sick and frail, as she had been the night before he had sired and wherever he was now wasn't going to change that.

"Come sit with me a moment" she smiled softly and lead him back to his where she sat down and looked up at him.

Awkwardly Spike sat down beside her.

"Tell me what it was this time. Not monsters again I hope"

"N…no just a bright light and the feeling like I was burning from the inside out" he confessed before he could stop himself.

He could see that she was trying to successfully hide her expression, but within her eyes he could see that she was afraid for him.

"Don't worry yourself mother, I'll be alright. You should really be back in bed"

"If your sure. I'll stay up with you if you like"

"No, no I couldn't" he smiled. "I'll see you in the morning"

She finally sighed and gave in, planted a small kiss on his cheek and headed for the door.

"Good night William, I love you"

"I love you too mother, good night"

Once his mother was safety out of the room, Spike flopped back on his bed. This wasn't happening was it? This had to be a hallucination like Buffy had had after the demon poisoned her last year. Yes it had to be – the slayer had thought he was in a mental hospital. But this felt so real. Determined to give a shot to finding out if really was real, Spike pinched himself.

"Ouch!"

Well it was really enough. Now all he had to figure out was how this happened.

* * *

**The Watchers Council – London, England**

"Mr. Travers, our current slayer has died"

Quentin Travers looked up from his work at his desk, to stare directly into the eyes of the young watcher Martin Roberts.

"When?"

"About forty two hours ago. We just got word from her watcher that India was finally taken out in battle" he the young man announced grimly.

"And do we know which Potential has been newly Chosen"

Travers was a man with very little time for grief especially when it came to slayers since that died so young and hardly held the title for very long. India had been a good slayer, an American with a strong spirit, but she was just like all the others. Gone.

"Yes… but she isn't one of our Potentials… this one was one of the hundreds to have not been detected by the Council"

"Name?"

"Oh yes" Roberts gasped and blushed. "The new slayer goes by the name of Buffy Summers. She is currently fifteen years old and living in Los Angels, California"

"Another American?"

"Yes sir"

Travers rubbed his chin thoughtfully. This new slayer was within distance of the Hellmouth and it was in need of a new guardian. This untrained slayer would need to be trained soon if they were ever going to be able to send her there.

"Send her Merrick, he's in the seniority for a slayer"

He turned back to his work and his wasn't for a few moments that he noticed that Roberts was still there.

"Yes Roberts? Anything more?" he said coolly.

"Umm… yes sir… we have also just go word that there are two of them now"

_"What?"_

"Two sir… two slayers"

* * *

Halfway across the world, Buffy Summers screamed. Her wardrobe was horrible! How could she ever go to school and face her friends looking like this. All she had was a tacky yellow dress with red polka dots at the back of her closet that she hadn't worn in over a month. Too bad the good clothing went out of style so fast. 

Hemery High was in for trouble. Cassandra, Nicole and Kimberly would scold her for sure if she wore that outfit and now there was nothing else left.

"Oh phooey" she huffed and then decided that she would have to do the most horrible thing in the world – barrow cloths from mom.

* * *

"Two slayers?" Travers repeated as a greedy sound of awe began to enter his voice. 

"Yes" Robert nodded hastily. "It's an anomaly sir, but even more so once I tell you the last thing"

"What could be even better then two slayers?" he almost shouted jumping to his feet. "Never in the entire history of the Slayer has there ever been more then just one._ 'Into every generation a slayer is born, one girl in all the world'._ You know what this means Roberts!?"

The young man nodded and slowly back away from his boss.

"That's the thing sir. You see… the other slayer… well the other slayer isn't a girl"

"_What!_ Please tell me your joking"

"No, its looks like the impossible male slayer had just been born sir" Roberts replied shacking his head.

"Who is he? _Where is he?_" Travers demanded with a snarl.

A male slayer? Never! This just wasn't possible. It had always been girls, ever since the First Slayer thousands of years ago. But a boy becoming a slayer – they would have no way of controlling him…

"His name is William Winters sir and he lives here in London, but…"

"But what?"

"We can't seem to be able to locate his exact location"

"Then try harder! We needed to find this male slayer and we need to do it now!"

Without a word, Roberts whirled around and fled the room, leaving Quentin Travers to his own devises. And to himself Travers was begging to think – really think.

"I think I can make this work" he smiled. "A male slayer… of what wonders this new prospect can bring"

* * *

So I got the next chapter done in the same night! I'd like to thank Elisabeth of the Chocolate Covered Strawberries for helping me with getting Hemery right. Anyway I hope you like the whole joke about giving Spike the last name Winters (he just had it coming) and making him a slayer (I couldn't resist). Also I've always wanted to write Buffy as she was back in her self-centered Cordelia phase. 

So there won't be much of pre-Sunnydale Buffy in few chapters, but don't worry she'll be there. Please review - I love the thoughts so far. Later!


	3. A Tale of Two Slayers

**Chapter Three – A Tale of Two Slayers**

The world was taking a getting used to for two young people. Nightmares haunted them and things like destiny just plain sucked. For Buffy Summers here fashion oriented world was shattered with the appearance of Merrick, her Watcher and Lothos, a Master Vampire that had his sights set on killing her. For William Winters, his stable I am the big bad reality shattered when he woke up one night to find that his world itself had changed. While he experienced life again and being reunited with his mother, he still did not know what in this new reality he had become.

And during that time Quentin Travers and the Watcher Counsel pulled the stings behind the scenes. They were leading their American slayer in the direction of the Hellmouth by first making sure that the girl's mother would find a job there as soon as the divorce between her parents was final. They hunted tirelessly for their new British male slayer as well and their efforts had paid off well. Now all they had to do was find some way of executing a plan that would bring him too them.

And then there were others too, others such as the likes of Angel, the souled vampire and Drusilla, his insane childe. For Angel, a messenger of the Powers that Be called upon him to travel to the Hellmouth where he would be needed. Drusilla however used her insanely dark power of foresight to look into the stars and see that the one she had been waiting for had finally arrived, ready for her to go and make her darkest dreams come true.

It would only be time before everything would fall into place.

* * *

**_London, England_**

"Mother, I'm home"

Spike entered the spacious townhouse that he and his widowed mother shared together. It had been only a mouth since he had woken up in this foreign world, where a wished seemed to have come true. Sure Buffy wasn't there with him, but he had saved her – she had things of her own to do now. This was his reward; to live again, to make things right and finally get that second chance he always yearned for.

"Oh William dear, how was your day" she smiled as he entered the drawing room.

"You know, my teachers are bloody pillocks and all that rot"

"Language William"

"Sorry mum" he blushed as he realized he was acting out too much of the Spike in him and not the William.

"Its okay dear, I had to expect that you would have to grow up one day" she sighed, her cloudy blue eyes reflecting her own inner sadness. "But I got word back today from the psychiatrist I phoned for you"

"Mum, I don't need a shrink"

"No, no, just hear me out. He told me that your nightmares could be related to the stress of your father's death with my illness. He really just wants to meet you, so I made an appointment for this time here tomorrow"

"But…"

She shook her head. "No buts young man. Mr. Roberts and an associate of his will be here tomorrow whither you like it or not"

* * *

**_Los Angeles, California_**

"But Merrick! The dance is tomorrow!"

"Buffy why can't you understand the seriousness of this? You are the slayer and killing Lothos is more important then some ridiculously silly dance"

Buffy gapped open mouthed at her watcher; his lack of understanding teenage girls and their needs was horrible. This dance was her life, vampires or no vampires. Over the last mouth her friends had been slowly dropping away from her and her only confidant seemed to be Pike – who woulda thought?

"Think Merrick!" she gasped excitedly, a thought coming into her head like the little light balb had just been turned on. "Vampires… teenagers…dance… isn't that a recipe for a smorgasbord with extra cheese?"

Merrick sighed and ran a hand through his graying hair. "Yes Buffy, I do believe you are right – for once"

"See!" she beamed. "Slaying and teen intel is mixy!"

"Good lord, what did I ever do to deserve this?"

* * *

**_London, England_**

The next day was there in a flash and Spike was dreading his night with Mr. Roberts. It was the only thing that had been on his mind all day, well that and the depressingly bad English weather that had turned out. The sky was dark and gray, a foreboding mix of something yet to come.

And he was late. Trudging into the house and soaking wet and foul in mood, Spike made is way up to his second floor bedroom to strip out of his sodden cloths. Once he had pulled on a pair of warm soft cloths and was about to head back down the stairs, he heard a gentle knock at the door and his mother going to answer it.

"_Yes? Can I do something for you?" _

From his place at the top of the stairs, Spike was unable to hear whoever was at the door speaking, but from the sound of his mother's voice that it wasn't Mr. Roberts.

"_Oh you mean my son William?"_

Was it someone for him?

"_Yes he's home, he just got in actually. Are you a friend of his?"_

Now that was suspicious. Whoever he had been before, he didn't have really any friends. Over the last month small snippets of memory would bombard him and he would see flashes of his past as an actually part of this world.

"Well please don't take too long, my son and I are expecting guest" 

What was going on?

"Oh I'm dreadfully sorry, please come in dear, its poring out there!" 

"Mum, don't!"

He cleared the stairs in a single leap, only to hind that he was now staring into the dark hypnotic eyes of Drusilla as she crossed the threshold into his home.

* * *

**_Los Angeles, California_**

Buffy stood back watching as the gymnasium of Hemery High burned bright against the Los Angeles sky. She felt as if she had staked herself and she hurt so bad inside. Her heart was wounded and inside she knew she was a changed girl. She had witnessed Merrick's was death by Lothos' hand and now Lothos was dust, staked by her.

At her side was Pike and he had been there to help her through this night when she needed it the most. He was the one positive thing that had happened to her as all around everything reminded her of the deaths and her parent's divorce. This battle, her first battle as the slayer was won and it was her time for a rest.

"Let's go"

"You sure?" Pike asked, his expression was serious for the first time opposed to usually grinning one he wore.

"I'm sure"

So without further questions Buffy hopped onto the back of his motorcycle and left the shallow girl she had once been behind her.

* * *

**_London, England_**

"Drusilla! Mother, get away from her!" Spike gasped as he moved to position him in front of his mother and the vampiress.

"William what's going one here? You know this girl?" his mother demanded, fear entering her voice like and icy spear.

"That doesn't matter mum, just stay back"

"William thi – "

"Oh now she is a special one to you, yet just to look at her brings back terrible memories… ones of blood and death" Drusilla purred as she moved closer towards Spike who was backing away into the adjacent drawing room.

"What is she – "

"Mother hush!" Spike nearly snapped at her, placing a hand over her mouth.

"So what are you my sweetling? Are you Prince of Sunlight or Prince of Moonlight? The stars are unwilling to tell me all"

She moved closer and reached out a hand to caress his cheek that sent vile shivers down his spine.

"You are a tricky little one, aren't to slayer boy"

"What are squawking about?" Spike snapped, her words confusing and making him sick. "I know you're out of your gourd Dru, but now your just plan batty"

"And the little pet knows the princess, but the princess doesn't know him? Is that your special power slayer boy?"

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because that is what you are my pet – slayer boy, boy slayer and you will be mine" she giggled before striking out at him.

He knew it was coming long before it came, but he was far too entranced to react on time. She struck him in the side of the head, causing him to fall backward and strike his head upon a table going down. He barely heard his mother screaming when all went black.

* * *

"Can you really believe it?" Roberts was babbling. "A male slayer – a real male slayer!" 

"Yes Martin, but please speak a little softer because you've already broken my eardrums with that chatter"

"I'm not that bad Rupert"

Rupert Giles groaned inwardly as he drove down the busy London streets. As much as he was excited about getting to meet the world's first male slayer, but this was outrageous. Roberts was acting like he had eaten far too much sugar or he had become a schoolgirl with crush.

"You are so"

Roberts grumbled, but kept his mouth shut and only opened it when his giving directions. When they finally arrived at the house in which the Council had finally located their second slayer, both watchers stepped from the car and headed up the front steps. They found that the door was eerily left ajar and when they pushed it back, they found the house deathly quite.

"Now, now, it wasn't that bad was it" a voice hissed from the next room.

Peering into the room, they the object of their visit was getting groggily to his feet, a trail of blood running down from a small cut on his head.

Three feet from him was the vampire, Drusilla – one third of the Scourge of Europe and at her feet was the dead body of Anne Winters.

"She tested icky anyway – like diseased puppy ready to be putdown"

_"Why you wretched bitch!"_ the boy yelled and launched himself at her.

To the surprise of the two watching watchers, the slayer held his own against the vampire and all the skills he used looked as if he had been fighting for years. This had nothing to do with his new inherited slayer strength and abilities; this was pure first hand knowledge.

"She didn't deserve to die! She was meant to live!"

He stuck her hard and knocked the dark vampiress to the ground with the force of his blow. She was about to move again when he snatched his dead mother's fallen cane and held it over her heart, stilling her movement.

"You will always be mine slayer boy" she growled. "Dust or no dust, the stars will haunt you for me"

"I'm sure they will luv"

And without hesitation he trust the cane down into her unbeating heart, watching her turn to dust without a flicker of emotion. And he just sat there for the next few moments just looking at what seemed to be the end of a perfect life until he noticed their presence behind him. Turing his gaze fell on Giles and let out an exasperated groan.

"Oh great, just what I needed"

* * *

So I hope that was good enough for you. Oh and to Briedee for your review – thanks for the awesome comment (to all of you actually!)and shame on you for thinking that I wouldn't update (it just takes some time). And I know that I kinda lied about not having much of Buffy, but I figure to kill two birds with one stone and get the pre-Sunnydale part over with fast and I'll also have an explanation to why I made Spike a slayer in the next chapter too! 

I hope you also didn't mind about me killing off Spike's mother, but it was a have to do kinda thing. I needed him to not have his mother for reasons you'll find out in the next chapter as well as Dru getting dusted. But if you have any suggestions for me, please review. Later!


	4. Attic Studies

**Chapter Four – Attic Studies**

Spike had been sifting through the dusty attic all morning trying to decide what he was going to keep and what he was going to give away. But everything was reminding him of his mother. Jewelry, cloths, pictures and everywhere he looked she was there. He was just glad that her funeral had been a nice one – far better then that of turning to dust in his last life.

"Books, books and more bloody books" he muttered to himself as he plundered the contents of the nearest box.

The funeral of Mrs. Anne Charlotte Winters in a very mournful time for her young son with and old soul and he hardly spoke to any of those who came to pay their final respects to her. Of course Giles and Roberts were there too, and had been with him since her death. He had absolutely no way of getting rid of the two watchers; number one being that he was a slayer (whoever the hell that happened) and number two, he had no living family left.

But he was thankful that ol' Giles still had some shred of common sense and managed to keep his companion on a leash so Spike was able to mourn in peace. So here boxes filled with cloths and trinkets surrounded him that had become a creative mess since he set foot in the room. Spike was trying to do anything to forget where he knew this new life was taking him. And yet as he gripped the sides of an old antique mirror and pulled it out of the way, he found a medium trunk with a yellowed lettered sitting on top. Scrawled across its front was his name in elegant penmanship.

Tarring it open, Spike's heart skipped a beat when he noticed whom it was from – his father.

_Dear William, _

_I'd like to start out by telling you how truly sorry I am for having left you and your mother – death can do that to a man. I'm sorry that I never got to watch you grow up past the age of four and everything else that had always mattered to me as a father._

_But I needed to tell you something of great importance. Now I know this letter must confuse you and I know that most people wouldn't be so understanding and just toss it away, but you aren't like most people. To get to the point I knew what was going to happen before it did, as I was a Seer for the Powers that Be…_

Spike dropped the letter in shock. The Powers that Be? Weren't they those higher beings that Buffy had spoken about that would give Peaches back his humanity if he did their dirty work? Yes, that was it. First they had a half demon play as the seer for the Poof and then they gave it to the cheerleader when he died.

Regaining his composure, he picked the letter back up and continued to read.

_I helped many innocent people with my powers, but I also saw many things that had nothing to do with saving people. A messenger came to tell me on the day of your birth that you were special – that you had a destiny that I couldn't fathom. As for getting to be the father of a reincarnated hero, I didn't know what to say. I was told that you were to become the first ever male slayer; an honor and curse like no other. I was told that it was to be your reward for having saved the world_

And then I started to get the visions of things to come that involved my family. The two things that burned permanently in my mind where see you fighting against evil upon the Hellmouth of all places…

"Oh this just gets better and better"

_…and my own death. So I'm truly sorry that I could never be there for you son, but we all have decisions to make that effects our fates. I know that you will be thinking that you took the life my son and that you are the real inhibitor of you body, but you have always been my son. When you received to slayer powers was when you're past life memories returned to you, blurring out those of the new. The contents of this trunk are my final gift to you and I have the 'feeling' that you'll like them. Please be careful in the years to come – that is the only fatherly advice that I'll be able to give you. Be well and use your powers wisely. I love you…_

_Yours truly, Tybalt Winters_

Spike sat in flabbergasted silence, breathing in shallow breaths that were choked with dust. With trembling fingers he unlatched the truck's lock and opened the lid. At the top of the pile was a black leather duster – a replica of the one he had taken from the slayer Nikki Wood in his past life. He snatched it out and held it to his nose, inhaling the rich sent of it and found a small note within its pocket.

_This used to be mine during my rebel days, I saw you wearing it and now it's yours._

Without hesitation Spike pulled the familiar coat on and it settled down upon his shoulders as though it belonged. With a smirk he looked back down into the truck. There were weapons, spell books, rare items for all kinds of things, and the most surprising of all, a few bottles of hair dyeing bleach.

"You thought of everything now didn't you" he snickered at the gift at the near thirteen year old gift.

"William, are you still up here?"

It was Giles.

"Yes watcher, I'm still up here"

Giles mounted the stairs and came towards him.

"I wanted to tell you that I have to go now"

"Go where?" Spike asked.

"I've been given the job as watcher to the other new slayer – her watcher just died not that long ago and she'll need the training in order to survive" Giles replayed, but didn't look him in the eye.

"Then I'm coming with you"

"No you can't do that. The Council – "

"Sod the Council" Spike snapped. "They are all just a bunch of wankers and I know that you plan to go to the Hellmouth and that's where Buffy is"

"How did you know that?" he gasped.

Spike bit his tongue. He just had to go and let that slip didn't he?

"Well… my father was seer, I think I inherited some of his power" he lied smoothly.

"And what did you?"

"I saw myself fighting beside your new slayer on Hellmouth"

Giles sighed and removed his glasses for a good cleaning – something's never change no what world your in.

"Oh fine, you can come. Better that the Hellmouth has two guardians then one anyway"

"I'm glad you agree. So then it's off to Sunnydale!"

* * *

Buffy Summers moved about the new room in her new house in the small town of Sunnydale. She and he mother Joyce had moved here for a brand new start since her father Hank left them. She was still actively taking an off from being a slayer and it still continued even though she had left Pike for their own separate paths. 

It hadn't been long before she returned back to her mother and just about to at her new school halfway through the year, Buffy wasn't a happy camper. She had also just received a letter that she would be getting a new watcher to replace Merrick since his death. No one could replace Merrick. He may have been an old stuffy British man that was going bald, with no idea about how teenage girls worked, but he had still be a nice person – he hadn't deserved to die.

"Buffy! Get down here please. I need help to finish unpacking and I won't get it done tomorrow because you'll be at school and I'll be at the gallery" her mother called up the stairs.

She let out a loud audible groaning. "Sure mom, I'll be down in a minute"

When she got entered the living she found her mother putting up all the treasured family pictures on the walls in order to make their new house a home.

"So honey, please talk to me"

"Is that what you really wanted? To talk with me?"

"Buffy you were expelled from Hemery because you burned down the gym!" Joyce cried and turned to face her. "I want to know what's wrong you. Its this because of the divorce isn't it?"

"Mom it has nothing to do with the divorce! It isn't anything you'd understand!"

"Try me!"

Buffy opened her mouth to speak, but her voice caught in her throat. Her mother wouldn't understand about destiny and vampire slaying, but then again who would she ever be able to keep this from her mother.

"Mom… I umm… well… do you believe in vampires?"

* * *

I don't believe that was the greatest work I coulda done, but it was all I could do to think up some explanations and make a connection to get into season one. Oh and it was a little sort for my own liking as well.I dropped Pike because he wasn't even really a character and I'll have enough to go will by adding Willow, Xander and Angel. Also Tybalt means 'he who sees'Tell me what you think. Later! 


	5. Unwelcome to the Hellmouth

**Chapter Five – Unwelcome to the Hellmouth**

_"These students have absolutely no respect the library!"_ Giles cried as he hustled around the Sunnydale High library striating up the mess that was left for him by the school's occupying majority.

"What did you expect Rupert?" Spike rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his now bleached hair.

"They are teenagers after all"

Giles turned to glare at his new young ward and spotted that he had his feet up on the one of his newly washed table.

"Feet off the table now!"

Spike snorted and removed his feet.

"Hey, don't go all spacey on me now – we only just started the beginning of a _beautiful_ friendship"

"Friendship?" Giles scoffed. "Do you think that by annoying me the whole plane ride over and eating all the bags of roasted peanuts would earn you that"

"So I'm a growing boy, sue me"

Spike got up and started for the exit.

" And where do you think you're going?"

"Duh, class… it starts in ten minutes"

"Oh. Go on then" Giles grumbled and then went back to his work.

Spike just rolled his eyes again and walked out the door. Giles never changed and he truly wasn't sure whither or not past Giles or future Giles was worse. As he made his way through the crowded halls, it finally hit him – he was back in school. After one hundred and twenty nine years, you don't go back to school! He could feel eyes following his every more. The gazes of the jocks, cheerleaders, rebels and nerds alike scoped out their two newest students… and at that moment Spike and Buffy had no idea that fate was going to change the world in the next few minutes.

* * *

Buffy rushed down the halls towards he first class, her mind on her mother. Joyce Summers had taken the news of her daughter being a vampire slayer surprisingly well – she fainted. But when Buffy finally got her to wake up, she remained silent and it was unnerving. So Buffy knew that her mother didn't agree, but couldn't stop her doing her duty. All in all it was very confusing. 

With her head still stuck on other things she hadn't noticed the oncoming traffic and crashed head long into another student, books spilling onto the floor. Gasping for breath as the wind was knocked out of her, Buffy struggled to her feet only to find herself starring into a pair of unfathomable icy blue eyes.

Only seconds before that, Spike had been walking aimlessly down the hall with his mind focused on his new situation. Giles was his foster father and he was a slayer now in Sunnydale – it was just completely crazy. If he was he ever going to survive this, it was going to be a major test on his own endurance. Still with the concept of setting things right, how bad could it be.

So while he was focused of changes, he was oblivious to the world around him. But it wasn't long before he found himself lying face down on the floor, books and another body coming down beside him. Grunting with pain, Spike forced himself up only to find that he was staring into a pair of haunting familiar hazel eyes.

Seconds after that the laughter came…

_"Why you numbskull!"_ Buffy cried out. "This is all your fault"

"My fault pet? Have you gone completely starkers or are you just blind?" Spike snapped, not caring at all if it was Buffy.

The look on young Buffy's face was outrage. Apparent it wasn't everyday that a former sixteen-year-old cheerleader gets laughed at by her fellow student body – new student or not.

"Blind? You were the one that crashed into me!"

"It doesn't work that way Goldilocks"

"Don't call me Goldilocks, bleach brain"

"Then what should I call you?" Spike smirked. "Slutty McBeal?"

It didn't last long before she punched him in the face, splitting his lip in the process. The blow sent him reeling back, but the look on Buffy's face hadn't really changed. She was infuriated, but her eyes were giving away the fact that she was horrified that she had just used her slayer strength on a human the first day of school. It also got a lot of attention from the students standing around that Buffy was one chick not to be messed with.

"Ever hear of anger management luv?" he growled and licked his bleeding lip, the coppery taste of his own blood filling his mouth. "You going burn down this school's gym the next time you get your nickers in a twist?"

"How did you know about?" Buffy gasped.

Smiling cruelly, he held his anger down. This wasn't his Buffy and she never would be. She was just some immature little girl that had a superiority problem and bad taste in clothes.

"Oh the facility will just love you pet"

He turned to leave, ignoring the eyes that followed from the spectators.

"Just remember, keep you friends close, but you enemies closer. Welcome to Sunnyhell"

_'I'll bet you back for this little split lip luv' _he inwardly growled._ 'I'll get you back where it'll hurt and you won't even know it'_

* * *

Willow Rosenberg sat fidgeting in her Advanced Literature class. She had already had Cordelia Chase and the Cordettes mock her about being a geek as well as tripping her as she passed by. Yesterday Principal Flutie had told her to expect two new students her age – the first was a girl coming from Hemery High in L.A. that had been expelled for setting the school gym on fire. The other was a boy London Central High in England that come over with their new librarian. Just then her teacher walked in with the hottest boy she had ever seen. 

"So class, we have a new student today" Mr. Albright. "This is William Winters and he comes to us London, England. Please make him feel welcome"

Willow was shocked to that this new guy was actually in Advanced Literature. He looked more like someone that would Shop rather then this kind of class, but she new well that looks can be deceiving. She watched as he nodded wordlessly to the class and then headed for an empty seat. Her heart started to quicken its pace as he started down the row next to her and then stopped dead when he sat down next to her.

"Umm… hi… I'm Willow… do umm… you need a text book?"

Startled, his head whipped up and whirled around to face her, his eyes growing wide. He just stared at her with a strange look in his eyes, like recognition of sorts.

"Hi…"

'_Oh god, oh god, oh god! I so made a fool of myself – he's so going to think I'm a nerd!' _Willow thought as her mind raced.

But suddenly he smiled.

"Well then luv,I'm William but you can call me Spike"

"Okay Spike…" she started. "Why are – "

"Can I call you Red?" Spike interrupted.

"Huh?"

"I said can I call you Red? It seems to suit you"

"Sure. Red… I like that" she blushed, unable to believe that she still had the courage to talk to him.

"See I told you that it suited you"

Blushing furiously, Willow managed to drag her attention off Spike and focus it back on the teacher. They were starting on the works of William Shakespeare and to everyone surprise. But if she had thought she was prepared for this, she wasn't as she watched Spike get out of his seat and actually started over going over in every single play to poem that Shakespeare had ever written with fine detail.

He expressed purely what it was like for the people of the era that watched his works up to the Victorian era. Slack mouthed, Willow could only smile.

"Though I'd have to say that more of a fan of _The Taming of the Shrew_ rather then _A Midsummer Night's Dream_"

Sitting back down, Spike turned to grin at Willow.

"So Red, what did you think?"

"You were amazing!" Willow gushed, not caring if she went totally geeko on him. "I didn't know that anyone – not even me could know that much about Shakespeare. I didn't think the you would"

"It's the look isn't luv? You think that I would be better suited in some kinda class for punks?"

"No, no that's not it"

"I know what you meant pigeon. I got up because I don't care if looked like a geek or not, but I'll always be the Big Bad no matter what anyone had to say about it. Oh that and the fact that I'm British and my mum always…"

Spike slowly trailed off, his face clouding over in a mask of pain.

"Spike… what's wrong?" Willow whisper across the isle.

"It… its nothing" he tried to bluff, but it didn't work.

He looked into her eyes and sighed, he wasn't going to get away without spilling.

"My mum recently die that's all. Did a number on me it did. My father was dead too long before so I had no one left. That's what brought me here" he confessed

"Oh right – isn't the new librarian your foster father?"

"Giles?" Spike suddenly laughed. "Yeah pet, I guess he would have to be. He did take me in after all"

"So what do you think of Sunnydale?"

He smiled again.

"It's a hellhole, but people like are the ones that make it bearable"

* * *

"Hello? Is anybody here?" 

An hour later Buffy Summers found herself enter an apparently empty library. Her day had gotten much better after she had met that rude bleach haired kid. First a sweet cute guy called Xander helped her with her book after that incident and then girl named Cordelia in History. So aside from getting a new textbook, she knew that she would have to meet her new watcher sometime…

"Can I help you?"

Buffy jumped when a middle-aged man entered the library from the back office.

"Buffy Summers, I'm new here"

"Oh so you're my new slayer. It's a pleasure to meet you at last"

"You're Mr. Giles?"

"Yes," he nodded. "I'm terribly sorry to have impose on you at this time, with the death of your current watcher and all, but the Council does want me to help you learn"

Buffy nodded.

"Yeah… Merrick was an okay sorta guy aside from the smell and tendency to talk too much"

"So what would you like to know first?" Giles smiled readily.

"Will I have time for a social life?" Buffy grinned hopefully.

"I didn't think you'd let me get away with forbidding you something like that - teenage girls can't be as bad as the teenage boys"

"Why are boys bad? Boys and Buffy are usually mixy"

"Just wait until you meet William" Giles groaned and removed his glasses for a quick clean. "You'll change you mind after that"

"William? Who's William?"

Suddenly the library door swung open to admit the same arrogant blond she had met this morning along with a mousy redheaded girl at his side.

"You!" she snapped, old anger boiling up from below.

"Now that would be William. He's your counterpart – _he's the male slayer_"

* * *

So what did you think? I had never been planing on this to be a Spuffy fic, so I'm sorry to disappoint any of you Spuffy goers. But as you can tell, I'm already going towards a Spike/Willow relationship (_only now he has to deal with his destiny in a whole new world that his mere presence has changed the rules completely_). It will be real so don't think that the line Spike thought of after first meeting Buffy again had anything to do with that. 

So what to do you all think. Should the next relationship be either Buffy/Xander or Buffy/Angel – most votes I'll go with. But anyway, please review and let me know. Later!

Update: Chapter Six will bein titled _'Opposites Don't Always Attract' _


	6. Opposites Don’t Always Attract

  
**Chapter Six – Opposites Don't Always Attract**

"What!" Buffy cried in outrage. "He can't be a slayer – they're only female!"

"What's a slayer?" Willow asked timidly turning to Spike after she watched Buffy's outburst.

At her side, Spike just snorted with laughter.

"William, I don't really think that this girl should be here," Giles started.

"No Rupes, I really think that Red has every right to be where ever she likes" Spike retorted.

An awkward silence filled the library as its four occupants decided to see who would be the first to speak. Giles was once again cleaning his glasses; Willow fidgeted where she stood nervously and Spike started to tap his foot absently while Buffy slowly sank to the floor from shock.

"Maybe you should go…" Spike began as he looked down at the girl next to him.

"But I want to know what's going on!" she burst out in protest, totally going against her own gut instinct to run. "I only just met you and now I think I just walked into the strangest conspiracy ever. This is like… all googly and everything! I don't want to be the ignorant little nerd anymore"

Spike gaped speechless at the girl. The Willow in his first reality hadn't been like this.

"Umm… sorry pet. How should I start?"

"With the truth"

"Well Red," he started, ignoring Giles' and Buffy's gazes on his back. "A slayer is a warrior, a person with a destiny to fight and kill vampires – and yes vampires as well as all the evil things that go bump in the night are real. Up till now slayers have all been female like the blond over there, but now for some strange reason, that power decided to make a two-way spilt

"That's… well… terrible" Willow murmured, everything that Spike had told her only just begging to set into her head. "So you mean to tell me that you are the first boy out of a predestined line of warrior women?"

"That about sums it up"

"Wow"

The silence was back once again to great them.

"So you won't tell anyone about us will you luv?"

"N-no" Willow gave him reassuring stutter. "I have to go meet my two best friends Xander and Jesse now anyway. S-see you around"

"Sure pet, you might be in my next class after lunch"

Spike smiled after Willow as she turned to scurry out of the library as fast as she could. Red had been an okay woman in his original world, but there was something different about this younger Willow, and it had nothing to do with being vulnerable. She was unique…

"Why him?"

Spike snapped out of his momentary thoughts to find that Buffy was still slumped on the floor, her head in her hands. She must really not like him.

Giles cleared his throat. "Well it appears that my two slayers have already met…"

"It looks that way Rupert" Spike shrugged. "We both weren't watching where we were going this morning and crashed into each other. She insulted me, I insulted her, she punched me and I still left with the last laugh. Does that sum it up?"

"Indeed… Buffy is that really what happened?"

"Yes"

Giles groaned and took his glasses off to rub the bridge of his nose. Wasn't it just his luck to get two slayers that hated each other and they hadn't even known each other from more then a few hours. Two hormonal teenagers with vengeance streaks – that just wasn't what he needed. With a heavy sighed, he headed for his office.

"Oi, Iwouldn't get into the brandy too soon I was you!" Spike laughed teasingly as the watcher disappeared.

"How can you talk to him like that?" Buffy suddenly asked looking up at him. "He is a teacher and an adult after all"

"Well pet, aside from all that, he's my foster father"

"Your foster father? Where are your parents?"

"Why do you care?"

"Its just that I – my father took off on my mother and I that's all"

"Since you were honest, I'll tell you then. My father died when I was four and my mother only almost a month ago"

"That was about the time I killed Lothos, my first master vampire!" Buffy gasped.

"And that would be the time I killed my first master vampire as well – mine was Drusilla" he replied.

"Who's Drusilla?"

"One of a triad. Drusilla was the youngest in what the mythic world calls the Scourge of Europe"

"But that's only one – what about the others?"

Giles returned to the library with her answer.

"They would be Darla and Angelus. They are a part of a clan called the Order of Aurelius"

"And isn't that order that is causing the hell in Sunnydale – no pun intended?" Spike asked, silently keeping his knowledge of the truth hidden.

"I would believe so yes" Giles sighed. "It's rumored that the Master, head of their line is trapped beneath this city, so the both of you will be going patrolling tonight – together"

"No!" Buffy cried, jumping to her feet. "I have plans for tonight!"

"Well what will it be? Socialize or have people die when you have the power to save them?"

For some unknown reason, Spike was actually feeling sorry for the girl that he had once loved.

* * *

At that same time, Darla paced around the caves under Sunnydale. So long had her sire been trapped within the Hellmouth and soon he would be free of earthly chains and regain the control that was rightfully his. With Luke out on a resonance mission for her, trying to discover what was making the dark forces on the Hellmouth skittish.

The Harvest must not be stopped. Even the evil had things to worry about, so whatever it took they would make sure that whomever or whatever that was causing the disturbance would put it to rest. Grinning grimly so as to bare his fangs, Darla knew that she night just have to take mattered into her own hands.

* * *

"Hey Willow!" Jesse called from across the courtyard. "Over here"

Willow had just managed to dodge Cordelia Chase and her pathetic ditzy Cordettes. Her mind was spinning like crazy as she made her way over to the bench that Xander and Jesse had scored for them. Spike… there was something different about that new boy other then the fact that he was some sort of mythical vampire killer. Right now it was just too much for logical computer-whiz Willow Rosenberg.

"So Will, how was your morning?" Xander asked with a dopey grin across his face.

"Fine," she replied as she set her books down. "What's wrong with you?"

"He was struck up Cupid's Bow this fine morning" Jesse snickered.

Coincidence?

"Huh?"

"He met the new girl and now he's totally fallen for her"

The new girl… one of her best friends was lust struck on the crazy girl that she saw in the library with Spike.

"She wouldn't have been yea high, shoulder length blond hair and green eyes would she?"

"Yeah…" Xander grinned dreamily and leaned back.

"She looks like Cordette material to me"

Xander gasped and sat up strait.

"You can't mean that! You haven't even met her!"

"Oh I've seen enough thank you" she huffed.

"So Will, who was the new guy I saw _you_ with earlier?" Jesse grinned, turning the tables on the redhead.

"What? Willow got a guy?" Xander gapped and then smiled at his friend. "Who, who! Give me the details!"

Willow giggled softly and started to blush. "Well his name is William, but he likes to be called Spike. I met him this morning in my Advanced Literature class. He's from England to so he has this really hot accent!"

"Wow…" Xander said. "Who knew that you find the man of your dreams in a class like that"

Willow reached out and smacked him playfully with mock insult.

"Oh I'm being left behind!" Jesse cried and pretended to be struck down. "My friends are all growing up – I'll never see my seventeenth birthday for sure!"

Together the three friends just laughed not realize how true they would find Jesse to be.

* * *

The vampire turned to dust under the powerful stake whiled by Buffy Summers. She smiled savagely as her count of dusted vampires for the night went up.

"Twelve! Beat that!" she cheered out loud.

Turning, she found herself watching Spike taking on three at once, taunting them to come and get him. Sadly for the poor vamps, they all went up in quick secession, each dusting with a scream and a hiss. Spike turned to her and smiled his mocking smile.

"Twenty darling"

Inwardly Buffy growled. For the last two hours Spike had been either ignoring her (which was good) or pissing her off (which was bad). It was a loss – loss deal. Sighing, she ran over to catch up with her reluctant partner, but as she passed, she couldn't help but feel as if there were a pair of eyes following her. Yet when she turned, there was nothing there.

"So is slaying finally over now?" she forced a grin.

"Yes pet, its over" Spike said rolling his eyes. "Go have fun now and just make sure that you don't get eaten by the big bad vamp"

"Same goes for you bleach boy – you are a slayer too and that means you a vampire's main course meal"

"I'm too stringy"

"No just too annoying"

"Well same goes for you too as well luv. You'll really strike them with that wit of yours" Spike grinned before he walked of in the direction of home.

Left all by herself now, Buffy decided it was due time she checked out that club the Bronze that Cordelia had told her about at school. It was time to throw away the stake and have some fun.

* * *

From the shadows of a nearby crypt, Angel watched the slayers leave the cemetery. He had watched their fight against those fledglings and saw that the girl – the one that he had been shown in L.A. by Whistler had some real talent.

But it was the boy that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Not only was this boy somehow impossibly a slayer too, he knew things about fighting that even a new slayer shouldn't know. Plus he just gave off this vibe and somehow Angle seemed to recognize it.

Whatever happened, the vampire with a soul was determined to find out what discover who these two slayers really were.

* * *

So I finally got that chapter done! So what did you think? Was it good enough for you? So this chapter will be my last until after New Years, so I hope you have the patience to wait. Anyway, tell me what you think and I might start work on the next chapter soon! Later!


	7. Jesse’s Dilemma

**Chapter Seven – Jesse's Dilemma**

The next afternoon, Jesse found himself by the courtyard fountain waiting for Xander and Willow. Frustrated, the gangly teen sighed as he looked back and forth for his absent friends, but they didn't show. But it wasn't like he didn't know where they would be – off with they're new love interests for sure. He could hear Cordelia laughing and mocking him where she stood gathered with her bimbo buddies. Simply he just felt alone.

"Hey McNally, where are your loser friends today? Did they find out who pathetic you were or maybe they didn't want to get any more infected?"

He stood silently casting his eyes away for the hurtful brunette, yet ever word she said was a bitter blow. Xander had called him last night to tell him that the new girl was now _his _girlfriend and Willow had seen him this morning for a few moments, but so left the moment she had seen the new boy she had the hots for.

Sadly nothing seemed to be turning out the way he would have liked. Turning quickly, Jesse did something he had never done before – he decided to skip school.

* * *

Willow huffed as she sat next to Spike in the library the afternoon. It turned out that everything had started going wanky since yesterday. The only semi positive thing that happened was Xander finally got himself a girlfriend – too bad it was that Buffy twit. He had called her late last night to tell her that they had met up again at the Bronze and she saved his butt while leaving. Apparently, Xander knew about vampires and slayers as well now. So since Spike and Buffy had drawn in innocent bystanders, Mr. Giles, their watcher, thought it would be best to tell them everything. 

But Willow wasn't even really listening to the conversation that was taking place. She had her head in her hands think back on her own time last night in which she had told her mother about the new boy at school…

--------------------

- Flashback -

"_Mom!" Willow cried. "I only just met him today, so its not like I planed to start a relationship or need a chastity belt! Hell, I don't even know I he likes me that way!" _

_Willow watched as her mother Sheila Rosenberg just gaped at her usually timid daughter's outburst. It had only been five minutes ago that Willow had come home gushing about William, whom was new to Sunnydale from England, that he was in a few of her classes and he actually liked her. But of course there was nothing that could stop her mother's complaining. _

"_But Willow dear, you know what boys are like…" _

"_No mom, I don't know. The only boys I know are Xander and Jesse and they are nothing like your view of boys. William is nice and he just moved here, so you can't judge him until you've met him" Willow snapped angrily, her face going as red as her hair._

"_Fine, I won't judge the boy. But if he ever asks you out on a date, then you have to spend it here with your father and I first" her mother replied. _

"_But…" _

"_No buts Willow, now I have other things to do right now" _

_The red haired girl watched her mother turn and leave, the very action dashing all of Willow's happy hopes. What would she do if her mother kept up this act? She had figured that when she got home that her mother would be proud that she had found a boy that was worth it, but instead she had pulled a nasty on her. _

"_Fine… have it your way"_

- End Flashback -

--------------------

"Hey Red luv, are you listening?"

"Huh?"

Willow snapped out of her own day-nightmare and turned to Spike. She was looking down at with an almost concerned expression on his face. It almost reminded her of the ones that Jesse and Xander gave her all the time when she wasn't acting like her normal Willowy self.

"I was… I was just thinking about something" she sighed.

"Well pet we need your opinion on something. Do you think it would be wise to let your other friend Jesse in on this too?"

Willow's eyes widened and she turned to see that Xander, Buffy and Giles were staring at her as well.

"I don't know…"

"We need a tie breaker. The whelp and I say yea and she-slayer and the watcher say nah. What's your verdict pet?"

She looked back to Xander to see that he was muttering under his breath from Spike having called him 'whelp', but when he say her, he began to nod enthusiastically.

"Then I'd have to go with yea" Willow nodded. "It wouldn't be fair to have to lie to Jesse, and if we are in danger by knowing the truth about vampires and slayers, then he would be just as much since he is our friend"

"Do you really think that's wise Ms. Rosenberg?" Giles asked as he removed his glasses.

"Yes I do. How do you think a poor vampire's dinner victim would feel if they had known first? Sure people might live in fear – that's bad, but at least they would know how to protect themselves. I know that since mass hysteria is a bad thing the public at large cant know the truth, but with the few people out their that do, it just helps to make the world a better place"

"Wow…" Xander whispered in shocked awe. "Nice speech Will"

"Can I say something?"

Everyone turned to gaze at a very frustrated looking Buffy.

"As much as I'm actually starting to like this idea, it's giving me the wiggins" she started, ringing her hands beneath the table. "But I don't want to get anyone I can trust hurt. I know that it would be their decision to help, but it doesn't feel right"

"Feel right?" Spike scoffed and turned to Buffy. "When do you think it will ever feel right? We are slayers luv, maybe you should read up on that. Slayers were born to be alone, separated from society and why do you think that is?"

"To protect innocent people that might get caught in the crossfire" she replied.

"Wrong. It's all about control pet. If the Watcher's Council separates a slayer from their family, then the slayer only knows what they have been taught – they will become faithful. But if they have a slayer born outside of the Potential fold, like ourselves, then they have a problem. Again it is the control – if the slayer is a wild spirit or rouge, then the only option of gaining that control is either by breaking the subject or by elimination"

Everyone gapped open mouthed at Spike's words. Xander and Willow were horrified, Buffy was outraged and Giles was ghastly pale.

"Th…that's not true" Giles stuttered. "It can't be true"

"But who do you know that?" Xander suddenly asked.

" I know because I spied on the other watcher that came with Rupert to my old home in London the day my mother was killed. I heard him talking on the telephone to another, his superior at the Council" he was smiling thinly as he turned to Giles. "The day we left England Rupes was the day I was suppose to be brought in to be broken. You see as a male slayer, I am a paradox – they knew that they would need to brake me if they were to have any chance at trying to turn me into a Stepford slayer"

Silence followed.

"So that is why we need allies. We need the people that will give us a reason to live and that is why we need Jesse"

Getting up from his seat, Spike left the library in with Willow and Xander on his tale. Jesse was their friend and to them any risk was worth it. As they reached the courtyard, they found no Jesse, but rather the remaining laughter of the Cordettes that still hung in the air. Willow rushed of to one of the school's eyes, a boy she knew by the name of Jonathan Levinson.

"Hey Jonathan… have you seen Jesse?"

The boy looked up startled at her from his place on the steps.

"He…uh…he just ran off a few minutes ago. Cordelia was saying some things and must have been too much for him" he looked around him for a minute before turning back to her. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Willow asked, a puzzled expression crossing her face.

"What she said to him? Did you really leave him for those new kids?"

* * *

The sun had just began to set and Jesse was still walking about town, his heart heavy was a strange feeling that he now longer belonged. He had seen both Xander and Willow numerous times during the day after he had left the school, but he needed time to himself – they could wait for him now. 

As he turned the corner near the Expresso Pump, he slammed into a beautiful young woman coming in the opposite direction.

"I am so sorry" he gasped and helped her to her feet.

"Its okay" she gave him a saucy smile and brushed a strand of blond hair out of her face.

"Okay… well I'm Jesse"

Smiling, they shook hands.

"Nice to meet you Jesse – I'm Darla"

* * *

Okay now I know I said no more until January, but I thought that I would do this one up as a Christmas gift toeveryone's favoriteWayWard Childe. Hope it wasn't too short – tell me if you think that Jesse should still get vamped or not. Oh and please tell me if I'm getting at the important facts too fast. Well have a great Christmas and I'll see you all again in 2005! Later! 


	8. Guardians

**Chapter Eight – Guardians**

Angel set out into the streets of Sunnydale, searching out the wayward friend of the two slayer's friends. It was hard not to spy on all of them since they had been searching for the boy long before sunset, but as the sun began to go down, their frantic searching intensified. With his nose of tracking, he would find the boy in no time and when he did, he would finally find away for them to trust him – he was a vampire after all and soul or no soul; gaining the trust two slayers let alone one wouldn't come easily.

Raising his head to smell the wind, Angel sensed all five of the teenagers – those who sought and the one that was being sought. The female slayer by the name of Buffy Summers was to the south end of town along with the human boy by the name of Xander Harris. Inwardly Angel winced as he realised he was too late. The slayer that he had seen only a few months ago by the messenger of the Powers that Be was already taken. That was a sign for sure – he shouldn't have believed that he could have ever been with her…

And the male slayer William Winters, the one that called himself Spike was off to the north end of town with the girl Willow Rosenberg. He had only say that boy once before last night, but still his very presence unnerved the vampire with a soul. There was something about that boy that wasn't natural. All morning Angel had fitful dreams of his past – yet they were nightmares of a past that didn't exist. Nothing made sense, but the one thing that did was he always saw bits of flashes of a young man, a man that looked near identical to the young slayer. It all meant something and if time allowed, it was something he was determined to find out.

But as for the boy Jesse McNally, he wasn't even in they're general directions as he was at the west end of town no more then a few blocks away. With directive in mind, Angel set out to collect the boy. Shifting through the crowds, he suddenly became aware of another alarming scent – his sire's.

* * *

"So are you new in town?" 

"Oh I'm only visiting – my father is kind of stuck in a hard predicament and I have to help"

"You don't live with your father? Are your parents divorced?" Jesse asked the pretty blond girl Darla walked down the street together.

"Something like that" she replied without looking into his eyes.

"I'm sorry"

"Its okay, it feels like it happened _centuries _ago"

"I'd bet"

They continued to walk on, Darla steering Jesse. The teen couldn't believe what was happening. Maybe he was just getting lucky for once. Xander and Willow had found someone, so why not him? He wasn't even paying attention to where they were going when their travels ended with a long dark ally.

"So… umm Darla, where are we?" he asked as the chill and lack of noise from the outside words began to fade.

"Somewhere sweet heart, that they wont be able to hear you scream"

Suddenly he watched in horror, as Darla beautiful face morphed into that of her demonic visage. Jesse let out a short scream and stumbled away from her in fear.

"Wh…what are you?"

"I'm a vampire kid and didn't your parents ever tell you never to talk with strangers?"

He turned and bolted down the ally, yet it was not the way they had come. But as he rounded the corner, Jesse was dismayed to find that he was at a dead end. Darla had also come to find that he was trapped as well, but she on the other hand was very pleased.

"Don't worry, it won't hurt – for long"

* * *

_"Jesse! Jesse!"_

At that same time, Spike and Willow were on the side of town. The night wind blew restlessly about them causing them to shiver. Spike looked over his shoulder at Willow who looked terribly frightened for the sake of her friend and could help but feel his heart go out to the young unknowing witch.

He shook his head. What was going on? Did he have a thing for Willow of all people? Just his luck as his senses confirmed this to him. Spike laughed inwardly at himself. He had been given a new chance in a new world, but he had lost so much – Buffy most of all.

"Here pet, take this" Spike said suddenly, his new emotions for Willow taking precedent.

She turned to find that he had removed his duster and was holding it out her.

"But you'll get cold!" she protested.

"Listen," he shrugged as he slipped the duster over his shoulder. "I have two things that you don't. Number #1 – I have slayer endurance and number #2 – I have to uphold my male pride. Plus you don't have a coat of your own with you"

"Thanks"

Willow's smile lit her face and she blushed, ducking her head away from him. It was only then did he clue in that she actually liked him too! It wasn't Xander as it had been the first time, but him. Grinning to himself, they continued on in silence.

But they hadn't got very far before they were attacked.

Two demons with shinny iridescent scales like a chameleon had pounced themselves out of a near by ally and were now blocking their path. Willow screamed at the sight of them, this being the first actually demons she got to behold. Upon reflex, Spike had already launched himself forward the coming battle.

_"What isss thisss?"_ the first of the duo hissed.

_"A warrior"_ the other replied.

_"Nice… they makesss good eating"_

"Look here Beavis, Butthead, we can do this the easy way or the hard way – actually it only be the hard way. When this is over, you'll be dead while me and the lady here will be on our jolly old way"

_"I hatesss it when our food getsss lippy"_ the second hissed with irritation before advancing on Spike.

Dropping, Spike whipped out a leg to catch it's unprotected area with a sharp kick. It hissed loudly in shock and pain as it dropped to the ground, giving Spike the necessary room to go for the other. From where Willow was standing back as she watched, she was amazed at what he was capable of. The other demon suddenly has a shard stake in both its heart and right eye causing it to ooze out some vile smelling blood liquid.

But then Spike's attention was drawn back to Willow as the demon he had earlier dropped had returned to it feet and was preparing to pounce one her with its deadly sharp fangs.

"Red, duck!"

Without hesitation Willow went down and just felt the shimmer of wind over her head as Spike tackled the demon and want sailing over her. Flipping up back to his feet, Spike glared down at the creature.

_"What are yousss?"_ the single remaining hissed, as it looked you at him.

"Wellsss mate, I'd be a ssslayer" the blonde mocked savagely.

_"A ssslayer? But they are only femalesss"_

"Top of the line – I'm brand new!"

With lightning quick procession the demon was dead was dead in seconds, it's neck broken in many places.

And then the silence returned. Willow was shocked senseless while Spike took deep calming breaths to slow the racing of his adrenaline-fuelled blood.

"You all right luv?" he whispered as he turned back to the girl at that remained staring blankly at the carcasses.

"Luv?"

"Huh?" Willow gasped, her head jerking up to stare at him.

"I asked you if you were alright?" he repeated.

"Yeah… I… I'm fine"

Moving to her side he helped her to her feet and only then noticed the sound of applauds from behind. Turning, he found himself staring at the little man he had heard described by Buffy many times as the stinky demon drunk with no taste – Whistler.

* * *

Angel heard the terrified scream almost before it happened. Darla had revealed herself to boy. Following his nose, it didn't take the centuries old souled vampire to find where she had him. Minutes later Angel arrived in an ally to find Darla with the boy pressed up against the wall, preparing to take a bite out of his neck.

"Drop him Darla"

She whipped around to glare at him, but never released her hold on Jesse an inch.

"Why Angeleus… are you here to spoil my fun? You and that dirty soul – such a pity" she growled.

Jesse was staring silently at Angel, his eyes pleading with him for help.

"Let the boy go"

"No"

With in a spilt second everything seemed to go blank. He was fighting Darla; Jesse was scrambling away, he was staking Darla and then standing silently as her dust floated away. He was being to feel the numbness of having lost – having killed his own sire. He shivered, unable to keep the tremors from surfacing.

"Are you alright?"

Angel turned to look at Jesse and his game face that he wasn't even aware of being on melted away.

"Fine… only taking out the trash"

"Umm… I don't mean to be rude or anything, but you're a vampire like that crazy chick was, so why aren't you trying to kill me?" he babbled.

"Because I have a soul and vampires don't have souls. I was cursed with mine and so I am different. I don't hunt the pray and more, but rather I protect them"

"That's cool"

"Thanks"

_"Jesse!"_

They turned to look up the ally to find that Buffy and Xander were sprinting towards them. Jesse moved forward to greet them while Angel moved away from the approaching slayer.

"Are you alright?" Xander gasped as he panted for breath.

"Yeah, never been better!" Jesse grinned. "This guy here saved me from a vampire who had just about to chomp me!"

All the while the enthusiastic boy rambled to his best friend, Buffy stared glaringly at Angel. He retreated farther back till he was pressed up against the wall as Jesse had just recently been.

"He's a vampire" she hissed and launched herself at him, stake at the ready.

"No wait!" Jesse cried, "He's not like the others!"

But the Slayer wasn't even interested in listening to the boy's plea – she was out for blood…

* * *

Okay, okay, so its take me three months to get it updated, but its finally here. With all the demands, I knew I had to get it done fast. With my new semester course load, my work experience job at Subway and the horror of my upcoming graduation, I haven't had the time to just sit back and write. The next four months will probably be like that, so don't except chapter nine to be coming any time soon, but I'll be working on it in all the spare time that I have.

So no fret, I'll be trying my best. Please review and tell me what you thought and also what you think you might like to see in future chapters (might help me get more done sooner). Gotta go. Later!


	9. Not Meant to Be

Well it's been about another three months since I last updated. I know you all want to read more, so you can thankMiranda and Polaris for having 'demanded' a new chapter. Also the start and finish of this chapter will be a point-of-view monologe from Whistler.

* * *

**Chapter Nine – Not Meant to Be**

_Realities are a very complex organism. I call them organisms because they have a life of their own. Give it a single scratch and it will retaliate – brake it and everything begins to fall apart. That is what has begun to happen. It started with only a one little loose thread in the delicate tapestry that caused it to unwind and that is why I am here. _

_As much as I see all the good that was done because of the change the First Joy made by sending the vampire Spike, now a slayer by the name of William to my reality, I cannot turn a blind eye to the damage that has already begun. The Underworld has become more viscous and the Heavenly Above has grown to weak. Our scions upon the earth are in grave danger. The Nothing, the great vastness that gave birth to the First Joy and the First Evil has been revived and seeks to take back what had once been its. The whole in the realities has allowed the Nothing to brake down the barriers and shatter each given world – mixing them together like too much paint. _

_Although I know that I go against my mistress, the First Joy's will, I know I must seek out the boy, the one called Spike and the girl that has become his sole love this new reality, the budding wiccan Willow. As a messenger of the Powers that Be, I know they will listen to me. If they had heal the damaged caused together, then maybe things will be all right. But I doubt that – it just isn't meant to be. _

_Whistler _

* * *

Spike continued to stare at the little man wondering what on earth (or heaven or hell) the Power's messenger could be here now for. If his memories served him right, Whistler was suppose to appear in Sunnydale for another year. He could feel Willow draw instinctively close to him, as if she feared the demon to do something and with what she had just experienced, he couldn't blame her. 

"Why are you here?" Spike asked bluntly, deciding to be direct.

"I figured that would be obvious to you" the messenger sighed. "You're very existence here has caused a lot of problems"

"Well sorry to disappoint you, but I don't even know what your talking about"

"Sure you do Spike. Death was just the beginning. You were granted the gift of a new life in a new time, but there was the consequences"

"Death? Gift? Spike, what's this man talking about?" Willow whispered.

Whistler smiled sadly.

"You haven't told her have you? About your last life and what brought you here?"

"This is my second chance plain and simple" the young slayer growled dangerously, but Whistler just shook his head.

"It was meant to be in the beginning. The First Joy, mother of the Powers that Be and all good upon the earth deemed you worthy of a second chance. You've faced her twin the First Evil and survived to tell the tale and you also broke his hold over one world. But sadly many others and I have seen that she was mistaken. By granting you a new life here has begun to shatter the all other existing realities. It has caused the revival of the Nothing"

"Talk some sense here mate" Spike snapped. "Now what's this about nothing?"

"No you fool – the Nothing, an entity that predates all good and all evil. Because of you, is shall swallow up the world"

Spike took an involuntary step back. This couldn't be happening – things were finally good and right for once.

"How dare you say this is his fault!"

Both men turned to stare at Willow now. Her face was as red as her flaming hair and her first were shaking with rage. Although she knew nothing of the conversation, no one had the right to say anything like that to the boy she liked in her books.

"This concerns you too young witch" Whistler shrugged. "Your love for this man has caused him to be permanently held to this reality. Even if I had the power to reverse everything, I would not be able"

Now Spike was rally confused. He couldn't even pay attention when Willow looked to him and mouthed the word 'witch?'

"Then why did the Powers send you?" he asked.

"They didn't"

_"WHAT?"_

Willow jumped back from him as he bellowed his exclamation of shock and disbelief.

"What do you mean they didn't send you?"

It wasn't a question – it was a demand.

Whistler sighed again, fetched a small flask out of his coat pocket, took a long swig and replaced it.

"I thought that I might be able to appeal to you for you help. Your girlfriend is powerful – that you know and you also know the danger that her abilities can cause if left unchecked"

"Spike… please, what is he talking about?" Willow whimpered. "Am I a witch like this man says? Tell me"

"Yes Will you are a witch, but a good one" Spike smiled at her before turning his attention back to the messenger. "Now what exactly do you want?"

"Help. With a teacher such as yourself, she will fine. If you combined the powers of a slayer and a witch together and you might be able to mend the fabric of reality. Think about it and do what you choose, but I will remind you that once the Nothing gets what it wants, life itself will be exactly that – nothing"

In a flash the little man disappeared, leaving behind the two confused teens. After a few minutes of pregnant silence, Willow turned to Spike.

"Okay mister, you have a lot of explaining to do"

* * *

"Buffy, no!" 

At the same time as Buffy flung herself at Angel ready to kill, Xander managed to catch the bloodthirsty slayer by the back of her shirt, causing them to tumble back in a heap of arms and legs on the cold cement. Buffy was shocked at what had just transpired for only a few seconds before she pushed herself away from her new boyfriend glaring.

"What the hell did you do that for?" she snapped angrily.

"Well you kinda went coo coo for Coco Puffs right then" he replied. "I know Jesse better then anyone and if he says that we should trust this guy, vampire or not, we should give him a chance"

"Are you crazy?"

"I must be, you're already giving fashion tips"

That earned him a smack upside the head, getting a snicker out of both Jesse and Angel. When the slayer turned back to them, they shut up instantly.

"Explain – now"

Not wanting Buffy to do anything drastic again, Jesse didn't hesitate to launch into the telling of his tale. He told how he had run away from school that day because he was feeling left out since Xander and Willow had found someone special. Then he spoke about meeting Darla – about her and Angel, Buffy already knew – and how she had chomped him. He told them how it was Angel that rescued him and that the vampire had soul. In the end, the poor boy was panting for breath.

Buffy looked at Angel.

"If this is a thrall, I'll stake you without a thought" she said.

"I wouldn't expect less from the slayer of ol' Lothos – the bastard deserved what he got" Angel offered with a small smile. "I'm sorry about your old Watcher"

"How do you know about that?"

"I was there. Someone told me that you might need some help. After you Los Angeles, I made my decision that you needed it"

"Fine…but don't get in my way"

Stiffly Buffy turned grabbed Xander by the sleeve of his shirt and dragged his off, leaving only Jesse and Angel alone in the ally. For Angel, he was amazed by how lightly the girl taken all of this. He had once been the world's deadliest vampire and he was sure she would have been told about him – that or she didn't know.

For Jesse, he was just happy to be alive… and it seemed that he had a new friend.

"So how long will you be staying in Sunnydale for?" he asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Till I earn redemption or die trying" the broody vampire replied and he began to leave the ally.

"Have you got any friends?"

"Do you mean human friends? Vampires normal don't have human friends – humans are there food and I know you understand that very well?" Angel replied dryly, almost wishing that he hadn't saved that boy after all.

"Hey!" Jesse gasped indignantly. "I was only trying to be nice"

Angel sighed. That demon Whistler hadn't said anything about this…

* * *

_I made a choice to play with Fate and I hope I did the right thing. I've played my hand as well as I can; bringing together the souled vampire, the two slayers, the witch, the Watcher and those that will help to keep thing steady. It might have been a bad choice for things could go far worse. I am just a messenger and I have played the game of Gods._

_The Nothing grows closer as I sit back and wonder if the young male slayer that was once an evil vampire will choose to accept my words as truth. But with the chance that the young witch fall to her power she had did once in another time, in another world, I fear he will not chance the risk. _

_But destiny is a funny thing – it always has a way of turning this around. So now I wonder once again: was it meant to be or not._

_Whistler_

* * *

Okay here it is. I am going on a hiatus for a while. I am really sorry for all of you that keep reviewing all the time, bagging for me to continue. I really wish I had the time, but I don't. I not really sure how many months it will be till I post the next chapter, but I'll try must best to make it the best of all.

I hope this chapter had done justice of all the time you had to wait for it. Sorry I haven't been able to be there for you. Later!


	10. Tranished Truths

_**Chapter Nine - Tranished Truths**_

"You know what? This is really getting to me. It's been two and a half months and the old codger still hasn't relented. It's making me sick!"

"Well maybe you should have thought about that before hand"

"I needed something to get my mind off of all the shit that's been happening lately"

"And you did that by drinking three full bottles of his most expensive Scotch. Does underage drinking mean anything to you?"

"Shut cakehole you tart! And what's with the cloths? Do you buy from 'Sluts 'R' Us'?"

"Take that back bleach brain!"

"Look who's bottle blonde!"

Willow sighed and went back to read one of the overly large textbooks on Wicca that Giles had provided for her, not bothering to listen to the batter between her boyfriend and Xander's girlfriend. It was nearly four months to the day that Spike and Buffy had moved to Sunnydale. Three months since Spike had told her everything that night. The end of the school year was drawing close as well as what he had told her would be Buffy's preordained death at the hands of the Master.

Since then he had been overseeing her training in Wicca and contributing to being a major pain in the ass for the girl that he had loved in another reality. All things aside, she didn't know what was going to happen from here on in - let alone Spike raze the hell out of Buffy, like he was currently doing right now…

"I don't think any sane vampire would to drink your blood. It has to be poisonous - hell you're just as bad a Cordelia!"

"I so am not!"

Across the table from her were Xander, Jesse and Angel; all watching the impending fist fight. Each male making bets in which slayer would win should the fight get nasty - they even had popcorn.

"I raise the pot by fifteen to thirty five in favor of Buffy" Xander grinned, pulling a ten-dollar bill from his wallet and tossing it into the pile.

"Don't you think that's being bias?" Jesse managed to ask through a mouth full of popcorn. "I mean she is your girlfriend"

The two teens looked over at the vampire seated next to them for help. Angel shrugged and added a five in vote for Buffy. Jesse rolled his eyes.

"I know why you did that"

"And that would be?" the souled vampire asked coolly.

"Because you have to hots for my best friend's girl"

"What! No I don't!"

Spike stopped his ranting with Buffy to snort with sneering laughter. "Yeah right Gel Boy. The classic puppy dog eyes have been seen on your face since the moment you joined the crew. Take my advice - she'd only stake you through the heart with a big shinny sword before sending you strait to hell. Its not worth it"

Angel only managed to raise an inquisitive eyebrow before Buffy retaliated.

"Hey!" she cried indignantly. "I so wouldn't. He may be a vampire, but he's proved himself an ally so far"

"May I remind you that you still want to dust the ponce even though Jesse has vouched for him. If I quote correctly, and stop me if I'm wrong _'he's like a freaky Batman wannabe that totally overdoes the hair gel, has absolutely no fashion sense and has to have a sixteen year old boy protect him from the big bad slayer. The only reason he's still kicking is because save he has the body of Greek god and' hey baby, lets go shag in a back ally' kinda looks'_"

As soon as Spike was finished mimicking her whinny voice, Xander's mouth dropped open with shock that he could have caught flies.

"Wait one minute. You think the dead guy's hot? Oh… I think I'm going to be sick"

As the tacky brunette made a beeline for the washrooms, Spike couldn't help but snigger and shout out "If you puke on yourself, it'll probably start a new fashion trend". Then he caught the look of rage on Buffy's face.

"That was confidential!" the blonde shrieked.

"Yeah, for me to blab of course" Spike smirked.

Willow sighed and dropped a twenty onto the pile. "Raise the pot by twenty to sixty for Spike"

The witch said it at the same moment that Buffy launched herself at Spike, Spike ducked and Buffy went sailing headlong into an oncoming Giles, who at that moment was entering the library with his arms full of books. The pair crashed painfully to the floor and to said that the librarian was furious would be an understatement. He started yelling at Buffy for nearly ruining some of his most precious books and then gave her the punishment of going patrolling.

Muttering hotly in a colorful string of Buffy-isms, Buffy exited the library. Most likely she'd end up dragging Xander along for the ride.

With a giggle, Willow smiled "All mine then" and proceeded to scoop up the money that lay await for her on the table.

"No fair" Angel whined. "You cheated. Use of foresight is prohibited"

Spike burst out laughing.

"Your what? 140? I never thought I'd hear a vampire past his first centennial complaining that a sixteen-year-old girl cheated him. Besides, I would have known if she was using foresight and plus Giles has a very squeaky shoes - you can hear him coming from a mile away. He would have been vampire chow, if any would really like to eat stuffy old Brit"

"I heard that!" Giles yelled from the back room.

"You were supposed too!"

Angel crossed his arms, his looking a little irritated from the sneering sound the blonde's voice.

"Why do you hate me so much? I can understand the whole vampire thing, but I know that it's something else. Xander's animosity is one thing, yours is a whole new ballpark"

Spike stiffened slightly, and caught Willow looking at him out of the corner of his eye. Setting his jaw, the blonde took a deep breath.

"Why do I hate you? Well its something about a crazy vampire named Drusilla that killed my mum and was planning on turning me into her new play toy. I dusted the bitch and all, but oh yeah - she was you're childe. The books say that you drove a clairvoyant young woman in 1860 insane before siring her. Such are the chain of events that make me want to kick your fangy ass"

Without a word more, he turned his back on the Irish vampire and began walking towards the library doors. Time to go home or time to patrol. It might be nice to vent some of his pent-up hatred on Sunnydale's breed of lowlifes - this was what his original Buffy must have felt…

"Spike, wait"

He stopped, his back tensing as he felt Willow following. When she was finally close enough to place a hand on his shoulder, he spoke.

"What?"

"Why don't you tell him the truth? The real truth"

You could have heard a pin drop in the library at that moment. A he turned to look at his girlfriend; he found that the remaining people in the room were looking at him intently, if not a little confused. Giles was leaning against the doorframe of his office; Jesse pausing in the middle eating a sandwich; and Angel with an annoying placid expression.

Willow was scowling at him lightly at him, almost teasingly. She knew exactly why he was keeping the truth to himself (he had told her because he knew he could trust her and that he had no other choice). But it all came down to one thing - he had the fate everything on his shoulders. For a noble man who had once been a vampire, he couldn't seem to get any brakes.

As much as he loved him, sometimes she really irked him too. It caused something to snap inside him. Not anger, but fear. Would telling the truth to more then her keep the red haired goddess he had come to love safe?

Stepping forward, he hugged her close.

"Do you really think that'll help Red? I mean really. What'll they get out of knowing that I, Spike - William - the First Male Slayer - has memories from two realities?" he ignored the shocked looks and the questions as he continued. "Will it make much a different if I tell them in my 'past life' that I've already lived through all this? That I was once a vampire or that I earned a soul because of love and gained redemption only to damn the world worse then any apocalypse could? You remember what Whistler told me - the Powers that Be fucked up. They wanted to give me a reward for saving the world, but sometimes things aren't meant to be. It hurts too much to say it, but I have"

The look on her face let alone the looks he got Giles, Jesse and Angel was the reason why he hadn't said anything. He kissed he lightly on the cheek.

"I love you, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. All the time I've been blessed with in being with you was borrowed time. I don't belong here - you'll die if stay here and if that were to happen, I would never be able to forgive myself"

-.ooOoo.-

Below the city in the bowels of the Hellmouth, evil lurked. It listened with sensitive eyes to the world above and smiled. A week link had finally been found in the chain that made Spike, the Vampire Slayer so powerful. He wasn't of this world and it was the fault of those wretched Powers that Be. The world's first male slayer had been a vampire in his past life and that was something that could be used to their benefit.

His soul was already tainted.

Sure the human soul of a vampire is forced out during the siring so that the demon could enter the body, but the mind was also apart of the trinity that made a human, a human. The slayer still had his memories of those times… and maybe that was all they needed. A few bread crumbs and he would follow the trail, intent to keep the this world safe like he had done for his last…

But because of him, the walls of reality had begun to brake.

It was only a matter of time.

The Master was content with that. He was prophesied to kill a slayer and it didn't really matter which one fell to his fangs, because once he was free, the other would soon follow. So for now the Master would wait, wait for the one called Spike to come to him. The former vampire turned slayer would have a noble heart. He'd risk everything to keep his loved ones safe and therein would lay his defeat.

In trying to save the world this time, he would unwitting allow an apocalypse to be unleashed upon them.

-.ooOoo.-

_It's all about choices. We make our choice and they decided our fates. Benevolent decisions lead us done the path of righteousness, malevolent decisions lead us down the path the damnation. The good and the bad? Those are the shades of gray. _

_All our lives we are apart of that gray. We make our good and bad decisions, but some times the scales tip. There are times when evil reigns and when goodness triumphs. Such times, mostly the good, are far and few. So the gray prevails and we lead our lives our lives oblivious to the extent of what our choices do to the world. _

_But are we at fault? Nah. We're only human right? _

_Human. Demonic. Angelic. Such a fine line separates the Fires of Hell and the Tears of Heaven. In this world, we share it so many different kinds of people, spirits, and monsters. But what is humanity? Do we, as humans believe ourselves about the demons, yet under the angels? No… we're a little bit of both and that's what makes us human. _

_As a race, we are capable of great and atrocious things. _

_Our choices… _

…_do they even really matter?_

-.ooOoo.-

"What have I done?"

Spike sighed, head in his hands. A light rain had only just begun to fall over Sunnydale and he stood under it, as if hoping to be cleansed. He felt terrible for what he told Willow, Giles and Jesse - Angel excluded. Why was everything so out of control? Why couldn't he just have the peace he deserved? Growling, the vampire turned slayer kicked at a stray pop can lying on the side of the road.

"Well you bloody well screwed the pooch mate," he muttered to himself. "Royally"

Suddenly his senses began to tingle, his right arm lashed out and a cloud of dust joined the rain. Turing, he stared impassively into the eyes of a couple shocked vamps. French and Japanese - what a combination. So what was the one he just dusted? Portuguese?

The French vampire blinked. "Zhit man. Lazarus iz toast!"

Spike raised his scared eyebrow. "Okay, tell me - what is with you prats and the unoriginal nicknames?"

Japanese vampire glared.

"Oh and Supaiku is original? Word from underworld slayer is that soul of yours isn't so shiny…"

Having the experience of having been a vampire, the blonde was able to put an 'invisible' shield between himself and his foes. So it worked well in keeping the vampires think that his heartbeat hadn't sped up at least five extra beats a minutes.

"And they heard that from? 'The Evil United Chatting Service?'"

He couldn't help but inwardly shudder. Why at such a time did his inner Buffy have to show herself?

"Lets just kill him now. I'd like to zee head of a zlayer roll!"

"Shut up. We don't have the time… and you remember what the Master said?"

Spike was interested now. "What did the Master say?"

The French vampire looked about ready to reply when suddenly he and his companion exploded like the first. Beyond the cloud of dust was a smugly smirking Buffy, Xander 'leashed'.

"Cold feet Spiky? Can't even dust a few vamps?" she laughed, not realizing her mistake.

If it were possible, he just saw red.

"You bitch! The world doesn't revolve around you, you know! Bloody hell, I could have gotten information out of them that could have saved our ass, but you had the Xena didn't you? Christ girl - just leave me the bloody well alone!"

As he stomped off, Buffy and Xander could stare at his back, lost in his wake.

-.ooOoo.-

Sorry I didn't get the chance to update as a Christmas present, but here it is anyway!

So how was that? Sorry I haven't updated in like forever, but I've had another really good fanfic going that has twenty-four chapters and sequel on the way. If I ever do get this story finished, it'll have to be sometime during my brake from my current fiction. But hey, you any of you have any idea on how you'd like to see the story end, and end well, please don't hesitate to review.

But I gotta go. Another 'forgotten' story is calling for an update, so I'd better meet the demands. So yeah, don't be shy. Tell me what you think. Later!


	11. Down into Darkness

_**Chapter Ten - Down into Darkness**_

Some mistakes are hard to reverse, and that was what had happened for Spike. The blonde was furious, tired and frightened all at the same time. Things had been so good for a while - 'friendships' with old 'enemies', someone who really loved him and a chance to atone. His arrival had changed so many thing - Darla and Drusilla were dust; Jesse was alive; Willow was learning to control her magics early; Xander dating Buffy, thus making Angel jealous; Giles was mellower; and sweet Joyce Summers was coping with the fact that her daughter was a slayer.

Because of him, things in this world was better…

"God dammit!"

But who was to say there wasn't going to be that dreaded a butterfly effect that would make things much worse? Whistler had said that the walls of reality were weakening because of him and things had to be changed. There was only one problem: what was he supposed to do about it?

Sighing, the young vampire turned slayer sat down upon the closest tombstone. Out of Sunnydale's sixteen cemeteries, this one was quietest, lacking in everything from the sound of the wind to the supernatural baddies that go bump in the night.

"Okay…" Spike sad aloud to himself. "Not a good sign…"

"It never is"

The blonde whirled around to come face _(although the person behind him was at least two feet shorter)_ face with an annoyingly familiar face. Short dark hair covered the boy's head like a mop and the vampire aura around him seemed almost comical along with the size of his perpetual body.

"Ahhhhh… the Annoying One"

The boy glared at him. "Crake jokes all you like slayer, but the Master wishes to meet with you. He was willing to wait, but word of your argument with the other slayer has made him impatient. Will you come?"

Spike raised an eyebrow and concealed a frown at the same time. This was unexpected. He remembered being told that the Anointed One had lead Buffy to the Master in his own reality, but something was wrong. The confrontation with the Master wasn't for another two weeks.

"What's in it for me?" Spike quipped. "A chance for some happy-go-lucky all-you-can-stake marathon?"

Anointed One shudder. "So the rumors are true…"

"What rumors?"

"That the air-headed slayer has tainted you with her tactless mannerisms"

"Bite you tongue small fry!"

The boy smirked.

"Very well. But you haven't answered my question yet vampire turned slayer. Will you come with me to meet the Master?"

Shit! He opened his mouth way too early. By this time half of the undead population of good ol' Sunnyhell probably knew about his outburst conversation with Angel and Willow. That would also mean that the Master now knew he had once been a vampire.

Thankfully the repulsive old codger didn't know he apart of _his_ order…

But the question was a valid one. Whether he should he follow the little blighter or dust him on the spot was a hard decision to make. It would be easy to stake the annoying twerp, but then what killing the Master? The prophecy stating that the Master would kill the slayer still stood, meaning that either he or Buffy had to die. As much as he hated Buffy in this world, she still owned a small part of his heart no matter what reality he was in.

And then the though of backup came to mind. When Buffy had died her first time, she had the whelp to revive her. Could he do the same? Die in this world and be revived, thus awaken another male slayer if it was possible? Maybe he could get a warning to Willow…

Although he was nowhere near selfless, deciding that another sacrifice might just be needed to save his friends, Spike took fate into his hands. Looking into the dark eyes vampire-boy before him, he gave the brat his best 'devil-may-care' smirk.

"Sure brat. Lead the way"

-.ooOoo.-

A loud resounding smack echoed throughout the Sunnydale High library. Buffy Summers reeled back, a hand reaching up to gingerly touch the stinging red blotch that now stained her right cheek. Eyes were wide with shock; Xander, Giles, Jesse and Angel not believing what they just saw.

Two feet away from the blonde female slayer was Willow, the redhead's hand still extended. The Wicca glared, but at the same time was shocked at her own audacity to do such a thing. But it was for a good reason - no one insults Spike around her an gets away with it.

"Do you really think I wanted to tell you - you of all people Buffy?" the witch growled. "I trust Spike because he had the courage to tell me and the others the truth"

"You mean you actually trust a guy who was once a vampire?" the slayer gapped, her nose crinkling with disgust.

"We trust Angel don't we? He might have a soul, but he's _still _a vampire. Spike has a soul and he's _no longer _a vampire. I won't stand back and let you badmouth my boyfriend you hussy!"

During the whole thing, Xander and Jesse were looking at their best friend in shock. And it seemed that sweet timid little Willow had grown a backbone. All the time she had spent around Spike had been slowly raising her confidence level. Sure there had been the secrets, but those were unimportant. She had know since the moment he had spoken to her class the day they had met that he was a good person, will to sacrifice almost anything for those that he loved. She had particularly been drawn to his tormented vibrant blue eyes - they had been her windows to his soul.

Buffy, although outraged by what she had just been told and what had just happened, was still in a semi state of shock herself. No human had ever had the audacity to hit her, let alone call her a hussy. To her, evil was evil and that was that.

"If you want it that way, then we'll just - "

The slayer was cut off from challenging the redhead when the witch suddenly let out a wail of pain, clutching her head as she bowed over and collapsed to her knees.

"Willow!"

Buffy was pushed roughly aside as Xander and Jesse rushed help their oldest friend. Willow had tears of agony rolling down her cheeks as black veins began to surface on her ashen skin, her bright eyes turning black.

"Oh goddess! He was right - Whistler was right!" she sobbed, clawing at her temples.

"Whistler?" Angel asked, also moving forward. "What did Whistler tell you?"

The witch whimpered, the blackness easing off and vanishing. She looked up at him, panting heavily.

"Back when we first met you. Spike and I were attacked by a pair of demons. After Spike had done away with them, Whistler showed up and told him that his being here was causing the virtual walls of the realities to crumble. He confessed everything to me afterwards, since I wasn't about to let him get away without spilling the beans"

"So you know why he's here in the first place?"

Willow nodded.

"Yes. Spike was sent here from a future alternate reality timeline. In his first reality, he was born in the 1800's, and sired by Drusilla in 1880. As your grandchilde, he became the second most greatly feared vampire in the world. He originally came to Sunnydale as of next year, but it isn't until we've all graduated that he ends up staying. Although it disgusts me even to think about it, he also revealed that he had loved the Buffy from that reality, and it was because of her that he sought out his soul. As to why he's here, well he died there saving the world by closing the Hellmouth indefinitely - totally Sunnydale into a gigantic crater. The Powers that Be deemed him worthy of a second and sent him here to us as the first male slayer"

Giles clicked his tongue. "Well that does explain why he was so jumpy when I first him. I had assumed it was because he had just lost his mother and killed his vampire in the same night"

"But that doesn't explain what just happened to Willow" Xander complained, helping the red haired girl to her feet.

"Actually, it does. We've just been told that Spike's presence here in this reality is causing the others to crack. Whatever just happened was most likely a bloodletting - a bleed across time and space. So I can assume that what happened to Willow was something that happened in another reality"

Buffy grimaced, backing away from Willow and her sharp brown eyes.

"She felt evil to me"

Angel nodded. "I felt it too. I do remember hearing you guys saying things about you having to learn to control your powers. Do you know why?"

Willow winced, looking at Jesse and then down at the floor.

"Yes. Apparently my counterpart had a bad drug like addiction to her magics. When he lover was murdered, she was consumed by her grief and hatred. In a crusade for revenge, she nearly fired the world to a cinder…"

"Geeze!" Jesse gasped. "I had no idea you were that powerful!"

"Jesse… you know Warren Mears?"

"Yeah. He in our grade. Why?"

"Alternate Willow kinda flayed him alive…"

The taller boy blanched before his face turned a nasty shade of pea soup green.

"Ewe!" Buffy shrieked, throwing herself into Xander's arms. "You aren't going go like that here are you?"

Willow glared at her. "If something should happen to Spike, I don't know what might happen"

The library telephone suddenly began ringing, capturing the attentions of all those present. Giles muttered a few curses as he made his way into the back office to answer the infernal thing. As the Watcher took the call, the room became deathly quite.

Buffy shivered in the silence, her head throbbing as she stumbled for a chair. She was barely aware of the Xander and Angel's shocked shouts as she crumpled to the ground unconscious.

-ooOoo.-

_While she could see it all happening from an out of body perspective, the blonde slayer knew instantly that this was a Slayer Dream. The Sunnydale High library shimmered around her till it became an ethereal glowing field._

"_Buffy Summers…" _

_The blonde turned, her eyes scanning the surround the source of what just spoke her name._

"_Hunh? Who's there?" _

"_I am here"_

_Buffy gasped in shock, stumbling away from the most beautiful woman she had ever seen appear out of nowhere directly in front of her._

"_W-who are you?"_

_The woman smiled, her hair itself seemingly made out of light. "Am many thing, but I am also half of nothing. I'm known by very few and you feel should special that I am giving you audience" _

_She would have retorted in the regular fashion, but the woman was right - she did feel special. Just being in her celestial presence seemed to warm the slayer's soul to her core, causing her whole body to hum with power. _

"_I am," the woman continued. "Known as the First Joy" _

"_The First Joy? As in the First Evil, the First Joy?"_

"_Yes. I see that you already know of my darker half. I have come to request your aid in most dire of circumstances. I have made a slight mistake in giving gifts to those who have done good. William is in danger of returning to a place that he doesn't not want to go - you must help him"_

"_William?" Buffy asked, confused. Then recognition struck. "You mean Spike? What's going to happen?"_

_The First Joy smiled sadly. _

"_I have changed things in order to make this world a better place. Its rare that either I or my brother are allowed to have direct interference with any of the vast realities that we oversee. Due to this mistake, I must show you something that I am sure that you will not like"_

_The slayer nodded cautiously and stepped forward, allowing the First Joy to reach out and place both of her hands over the teenager's eyes._

_Visions assaulted Buffy, showing her things that turned her stomach. She saw and felt everything through the eyes of a boy she had come to hate - Spike. The visions were of the present and a possible future. Spike was going to face the Master - face the evil within the Hellmouth to keep his friends safe. But he would not be able to stop the Master and the ancient vampire would have his fun by once again transforming the blonde back into a vampire. With evil magics, his memories would be stripped of him and from then on he would lead the vampires of every reality into the ultimate destruction of it all. It would be in the seconds before it ended that he'd remember, and then he'd die with everlasting guilt - guilt for having more pain after promising to never do it again._

_He would have also killed her and Willow in the process…_

"_STOP!"  
_

_Buffy wrenched herself away from the First Joy, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could still feel who much Spike cared for her - not just the alternate Buffy, but for her. He saw her as the annoying little sister he never wanted, but couldn't live without. No one had ever thought about her like that before. _

_The First Joy smiled. "I see you have made a choice" _

"_Yes. I'll help!"_

"_Good, but you must hurry. William is only nearing the entrance to the Hellmouth. If you are fast, you might be able to save him in time. Now go" _

_The light around the slayer burst, blinding the girl's poor green orbs. And as the wind picked up, she left herself returning to her body like Dorothy retuning from Oz and everything went black._

-.ooOoo.-

"Buffy? Buffy!"

Xander was frantic with worry as he knelt next to her girlfriend's inert form. She had blackout only five minutes ago and no amount of shacking would wake her up.

"_Help…"_

"Buffy?"

He and others looked down as they watched the blonde slayers lips move and harsh whisper pass through.

"_Must help…"_

"Help who?" Giles insisted, crouching down next to the brunette.

"_Spike… must help Spike…"_

Now it was Willow's turn to become frantic. "What about Spike? What did you see?"

"_Gone… he's gone to… face the Master…"_

And it was Angel that voiced the last of it.

"On shit"

-.ooOoo.-

Well there you are! After having dawdled for so long, I'm almost finished writing this story! I know you all like, but this is actually what I had originally planed to do. Anyway, I'm not sure if it'll end next chapter or the chapter after that. We'll just have to wait and see I guess. Later!


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